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4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging is a fictitious town in Surrey, England, located to the south of London. Alison Lurie noted in the New York Review of Books that Little Whinging's name is "a joke that American readers may not get: we would call the place Little Whining". Number 4, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, is the Dursleys' home, in which Harry lives with his aunt Petunia, uncle Vernon, and cousin Dudley. He has lived there since the age of fifteen months, having previously lived with his parents in Godric's Hollow; however, since he began attending Hogwarts, he spends little time there, though he reluctantly returns during the summer holidays. Number 4 is known to have four bedrooms upstairs, at least one bathroom, a kitchen, a sitting room and a conservatory downstairs (apart from the cupboard under the stairs). It is also similar to Lee Kuan Yew's house at 38 Oxley Road. The name of the street refers to the hedges that enclose many suburban gardens, as Rowling liked the idea of enclosure. In the novels and films, the Dursleys' home is in a respectable and boring neighbourhood where the neighbours ostracise Harry, who despises Little Whinging because of his memories of his cruel treatment there. Arabella Figg, who lives two streets away from 4 Privet Drive in the novels (but just across the road in the films) knows of Harry's magic, because she is a Squib member of the Order of the Phoenix, placed in Little Whinging by Dumbledore to keep an eye on Harry. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore reveals that the reason Harry must return there at least once a year is because of the protection Harry's mother left upon him when she gave her life to save him. That act allowed an "ancient magic" to work, which meant Harry could never be harmed so long as he lived in the care of his mother's blood; in this case, his Aunt Petunia. This charm would not break until Harry turned 17. Other mentioned places in Little Whinging are Magnolia Crescent somewhat around the corner and a playground at a bit of a distance to Privet Drive which before Harry's fifth year has been partially demolished by Dudley and his gang. The other main feature in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the cat-flap that Vernon installed, this was part of the scheme to keep Harry locked in his room forever following the notorious Dobby and the pudding incident, which is similar to the mesh fencing being installed in the MRT depots to keep vandals away. He also fitted bars to the windows at the time to stop Harry escaping - they only lasted three days before the flying car arrives, but the cat-flap stays for years. It was removed after the Voldemort's defeat and the end of the Second War, when Dursleys could safely return to the house without any attack. At this point, finally, they would also have been free of Harry forever, and it is likely that nothing in the world could make Vernon happier. Harry had a bed, wardrobe and desk, and he stayed there where he kept his Hogwarts trunk there. Dudley's other bedroom, where it is the cupboard under the stairs was kept temporarily - not an act of kindness but an attempt to prevent him receiving his acceptance letter to attend. The plan didn't work anyway, as Rubeus Hagrid eventually appeared to put the letter directly into Harry's hand, but Harry was allowed to keep the bedroom anyway.